8 Design and Construction Podcasts Worth Tuning Into

Check out our picks for taking management advice, product reviews, business best practices and more on the go. Read more.

Smartvid.Io Partner to Bring Machine Learning to Field Data Analysis

Skanska USA is expanding deployment of Smartvid.io machine-learning tools for organizing and analyzing photo, video and voice data collected from drones, smartphones and other Internet-connected devices on construction sites. Read more

Turning Ordinary Sewage into Biocrude Oil

North American wastewater treatment plants could one day turn ordinary sewage into biocrude oil thanks to new research at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Perhaps as soon as 2018, the technology developed could be producing biocrude at a demonstration facility in Metro Vancouver. Read more

Save the Date: LCI-C Conference and Training Day

Lean Construction Institute of Canada’s training day will take place May 3 with the conference being run May 4 and 5. The 2017 event themed “Hitting the Target – Building a Lean Culture” will take place in Toronto. Some details on the hotel and travel discounts are already posted on the LCI-C website. Learn more

New Bulletin: The Fine Art of Limiting Liability

Almost all professionals these days provide their clients with a written engagement letter – if they don’t they should. This includes all sorts of professionals including architects and engineers as well as design builders. Many design firms try to limit their exposure in the event of errors or omissions by including limitation of liability clauses in their engagement letters and / or contract terms. However, the professionals who rely on them may not always be as protected as they think they are. Read more

B.C. Launches Trades Training Pilot Programs

As part of Apprenticeship Recognition Week, the B.C. government announced this month that Camosun College will receive more than $331,000 for two innovation pilots that will improve training outcomes for apprentices. Read more

Layoffs, Shutdowns Coming to Construction Industry, Experts Warn

Gilbert Brulotte, head of the CCA, said there are a number of explanations for the funding delays. For one, the Liberal government needed new agreements with the provinces before proceeding. Also, the Alberta government was late giving Ottawa its wish list for water infrastructure and transit projects, which also required funding. “Those are just the realities of the day. It takes time, but in the meantime, the money’s not flowing.” Read more

Liberals Boost Infrastructure Spending

“It’s now phased in over 11 years as opposed to 10 so it will provide additional certainty for the industry and hopefully help avoid the peaks and valleys that traditionally accompany infrastructure renewal,” said Bill Ferreira, vice-president of government relations and public affairs with the CCA. Read more

How the construction industry is reacting to President-elect Trump

Donald Trump’s development experience and infrastructure proposals have thrust construction into the spotlight, and our survey found that industry insiders are largely optimistic about the next administration. Read more.

PM pitches Canada to investors; aims to attract billions for infrastructure

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent Monday pitching some of the world’s most powerful institutional investors on his country’s economic virtues, urging them to invest in Canada — specifically in infrastructure. Read more.